Pogo monocycles



Feb. 14, 1961 c. c. MGKISSICK 2,971,773

POGO MONOCYCLES Filed F'eb. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I4 [Q INVENTOR. CHARLES C- McK/SSICK, DECEASED 6 LS B Y MAUDE E. McK/SS/CK, ADMNISTEATRIX A Tree/v5 VS Feb. 14, 1961 c. c. MCKISSICK 2,971,773

POGO MONOCYCLES Filed Feb. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES CMcK/SS/CK, DECEASED G BY MAUDE E McAASS/C'K, ADMIN/.i'TRATE/X ATTOIQ/VFYS United States Patent POGO MONOCYCLES Charles C. McKissick, 135 Behrens St., El Cerrito, Calif;

Maude E. McKissick, administratrix of the estate of said Charles C. McKisick, deceased Filed Feb. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 791,740

1 Claim. (Cl. 280-205) p This invention relates to improvements in monocycles,

and in particular to novel monocycles in the nature of forward and rearward shiftings of the weights of the rider and of the monocycles, rather than by operations of pedals or other driving means connected to the wheels; and controlled vertical oscillations of the monocycles and the riders thereof, as provided by pogo sticks, are provided for by alternate compressions and expansions of the wheels produced as desired by the rider.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple, rugged, and mechanically eflicient monocycles of the character indicated above, which can be mass-produced in attractive and varied forms, at relatively low cost from a variety of readily available metallic and non-metallic materials, and from available structural components, such as the wheels.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following de scription and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a left-hand side elevation of a monocycle of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, similar to Figure 1, showing placement of a riders foot and leg;

Figure 5 is a left-hand side elevation of another form of monocycle of the invention;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a left-hand side elevation, on a reduced scale of a further form of the present invention; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, and .first to Figures 1 to 4, the pogo monocycle therein shown, and generally designated 10, com prises a vertically elongated and preferably straight and rigid stick 12 which terminates at its upper end in a cross bar 14 which provides similar grip-equipped handles 16 at opposite sides of the stick 12.

The lower end of the stick 12 has suitably secured, as indicated at 18, or otherwise formed thereon, an inverted,

preferably U-shaped rigid fork 20, whose legs 22 are preferably parallel and are preferably in the same vertical plane as the stick 12. In order to provide adjustability of the length or height of the stick 12 so as to accommodate riders 0f difierent sizes, the stick is made sectional and involves a lower tubular section 24, preferably having a reinforcing collar 26 on its upper end, and an upper section 28 which is slidably telescoped into the lower section 24, and is arranged to be locked in selected adjusted positions by suitable means, such as a set screw 30 threaded through the collar 26 against the upper section.

The fork legs 22 terminate at their lower ends in flattened L-shaped extensions which provide laterally outwardly extending horizontal fixed foot-rests 32, which are provided on the upper surfaces with non-slip and preferably resilient pads 34. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the standards 36 of the L-shaped extensions are angled forwardly and downwardly relative to the lengths of the fork legs 22, so that with the foot-rests in their normal horizontal positions, the stick 12 is in a forwardly inclined position relative to the horizontal.

Formed as parts of or suitably secured to the rear edges of the standards 36, as indicated at 38, are the forward ends of the preferably parallel legs 40 of a reclining U-shaped brake lever 42, which has a preferably arcuate bight portion 44 at its rear end. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the brake lever 42 is disposed at a slight rearwardly declining angle relative to the stick 12 and the foot-rests 32. Secured in suitable manner on the bight portion 44 of the lever and extending around the underside thereof is an arcuate brake-shoe 46 which can, by rearward tilting of the stick 12 by a rider, be frictionally engaged with the ground so as to slow down or stop forwardmotion of the monocycle 10. i

Mounting means for the single wheel 48 preferably comprises fiat, vertically elongated gusset brackets 50 which are fixed, in suitable manner, as indicated at 52, to the rear sides of the fork legs 22 to extend rearwardly therefrom at the lower ends thereof, with the lower ends of the brackets on a level above the foot-rests 22 and the brake lever 42. As shown in Figure 3, reduced threaded axle spindles 54 of a stationary axle 55, disposed between the brackets 50, extend through holes 56 provided in the brackets at the lower ends thereof, and nuts 58 on the spindles bear retainably against the outer sides of the brackets 50. This arrangement designedly locates the axle 55, as the axis of rotation of the wheel 48, in a rearwardly and upwardly offset relation to the foot-rests 22, the brake lever 42, and the lower end of the stick 12.

The wheel 48 is of resilient, compressible, and flexible construction, and has a hollow hub 60 journaled on the axle 55 by means of an anti-friction hearing, such as a roller bearing 68. The wheel 48 comprises a wheel body which is composed of equally spaced spiral spring spokes 70, which are suitably secured at their inward ends, as indicated at 72, to the hub 60, and at their outer ends, as indicated at 74, to the inward side of a relatively rigid annular rim 76, having a concave outward side in which is suitably secured a cushion tire, such as a solid rubber tire 78.

As indicated in Figure 4, a rider, in operating the I monocycle 10, places the balls of his feet 80 on and are,

22, as the monocycle 10 goes into forward motion over the ground, so that by the time the reaction, that is the thiihi-isii fi an axial bore in which is engaged a bearing tube, serving as a hub 60b. The ends of the hub 60b are threaded, as indicated at 92, and have threaded thereon relatively small diameter flat disc 94 to an extent that the discs cornpress, indent, density, and

render more rigid and'strong the central area of the down or stopping of the monocycle can be produced by...

tilting the stick 12 rearwardly until the brake shoe 46 on the brake lever '42 makes contact with the ground, G. The form of theinvention shown in Figures 5 and 6,

and generally designated a, is of substantially the same, 7

overall construction as that shown in Figures 1 to 4, except that the stick 12a is of integral rather than sectional form and is not adjustable in length, a brake lever is absent, the foot-rests 22a are not as far forwardly displaced, and a different form of wheel 48a is employed.

body 88, so that. the: 'surroundingpart of the body 88,

while being thus, better supported and controlled, is rendered moreetiectively'conipressible and resilient, so that the wheel 48b serves, the same locomotive and pogo actions as the wheels of the Figures 1 to 6. The hub 60b is journale'd-directly upon asrhalldiameter axle 55b secured to and extending between gusset brackets 501; on the rear sides of the fork legs 22b.

While there has been shown and described herein prelferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that a ch n e; or chan ns uctu emin The wheel 48a comprises a wheel body composed of a 1 pair of similar but reversed discs which are suitably secured together, as indicated at 84, and are formed to.- gether to provide a concave rim 76a of relatively great 1 width and depth, and a cylindrical hub 60a, which is journaled on the axle 55a by meansof such as a ball bearing 68a. Seated inth'e rim. 76a is a relatively large cross section pneumatic tire 78a, which has sufiicient compressibility and resilience to serve in the place of the spring spokes ofthe wheel of Figuresl to 4, as the means for, producing the movements along the ground G and vertical pogo actions described hereinabove in connection' withathe monocycle 10..

In the form of the invention showninFigures 7 and 8, and generally designated 10b, is similar to that. of Figures 5 and 6, except for a difierent form of wheel 48b. The wheel 48b comprises a preferably monolithic, solid flat cylindricalbody 88 of relatively soft resilient and compressible material, such as rubber. The wheel body 88 is of relatively great thickness, approaching the distance between the fork legs 22b, and has a rounded convex ground engaging surface 78b. The body'88 has theinvention isnotneces sarily confined thereto, and that relative arrangements of components, thereof are, con.- templatedas beingwithin the scope of the invention as defined by the claim appended: hereto.

Whatis claimed is;

A pogo monocycle comprising avertically elongated rigid stick having a handle on its upper end and a rigid fork. on its lower end; said fork, having laterally spaced legs, laterally outwardly extending foot rests fixed on the fork legs, a rotary verticallycompressible. and resilient ground-engaging wheel mounted between and 'on the fork legs, a U-s'hap'edbrake lever disposed transversely" of said" fork and extending-rearwardly beyond. said wheelandflhaving its' legs fix'ed to related fork legs, said brake l v r av n 3 l ht pqni m sfimfi ge re re 

